Sydney Run for the Cure cancelled

The Advance

Published: Oct 01 at midnight

Updated: Oct 08 at 1:10 a.m.

<p>Approximately 440 people took part in the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation’s CIBC Run for the Cure in Sydney, Sunday morning. Prior to the start of the run, participants warmed up outside of Centre 200.</p>

SYDNEY — Many breast cancer survivors are disappointed there was no Run for the Cure in Sydney this year.

Erin Richard, a breast cancer survivor, sits in the living room of her family home. She is disappointed she can’t participate in Run for the Cure in Sydney.

However, many of them who have participated in the CIBC fundraiser in the past aren’t surprised it was cancelled.

“I am disappointed but not surprised,” said Theresa Tighe-Campbell from New Waterford, who ran the Run for the Cure last year when she was 13 months cancer free.

The decision to cancel the Sydney event, which took place in other Canadian cities on Sunday, didn’t come because of a lack of participant interest.

“Despite the incredible passion and dedication the Sydney community has shown, and continues to show, the CIBC Run for the Cure in Sydney saw a decline in volunteer resources over the years,” Jaime Legere of the Canadian Cancer Society said in a written statement.

“After much consideration, for the 2017 run, we determined that the Sydney site would no longer be active.”

Run for the Cure started in 1997 and last year’s event drew 440 participants and raised $53,811. It was the first year that the money raised was split between the Canadian Cancer Society and the Cape Breton Regional Hospital Foundation.

Erin Richard recently completed treatment for her breast cancer and was looking forward to putting a team into the 2017 Run for the Cure. Not only is she disappointed she can’t, she doesn’t understand why the run was cancelled.

“If there’s only five people participating in the event, that’s still five people who are there raising money,” she said.

Tighe-Campbell praised the event for more than the fundraising it does.

“As a breast cancer survivor, I cannot say enough about the amazing people that came into my life at that time (during the 2016 Run for the Cure),” she said.

“A lot of them were survivors themselves. Hopefully the run will happen again.”

Legere said Sydney residents could still make donations to the cause.

“Sydney residents have been invited to support the CIBC Run for the Cure through a new fundraising option that allows residents to create an activity (individually or with a group) that is specifically tailored to their interests and fundraise for the breast cancer cause in this way,” he said.